The Evolution of Three Iconic Chairs

When talking about furniture, the words Chippendale, Hepplewhite, and Sheraton get thrown around a lot. The terms now refer to classic American styles, but originally they were used to indicate a certain type of furniture designed by one of three well-known 18th century English cabinetmakers: Thomas Chippendale, George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton. Before America developed its own sense of style, the country's top furniture makers during that period looked to England for design direction. At first they simply copied the designs of Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton. But as times —and tastes—changed, American furniture makers started altering the original designs. Today, many chairs stamped "Chippendale," "Hepplewhite" or "Sheraton" are actually mislabeled. Here, we'll show you what details indicate an original design and some examples of reproductions that have veered wildly off course.